The whip whacked across the room and Azaroth jumped nimbly to the side, flinching as it got close to his eyes. The fire whip slammed into the wooden floor with the force of a large hammer, sending burning splinters flying.

Azaroth’s grip on his sword tightened, his palm was slick with sweat but he still gripped the sword with one hand. That was his style anyway, fighting one handed.

Two whips flashed as one, quick as shadow but they were not targeting Stallus or Azaroth. Catena swerved to avoid one but the other got him on the right shoulder, immediately wrenching his shoulder from its socket and ripped through his clothes until a vivid burn mark in the shape of the whip was visible.

Stallus winced as she heard the popping sound of dislocating her shoulder. "That will hurt."

Catena grunted, looking at his now limp shoulder, he closed his eyes and collapsed on the floor, burn and all.

Stallus rolled her eyes. "Dark days help me! How did I end up with a dramatic boy and a lazy one?" She eyed Azaroth and muttered. "And a crazy one."

Azaroth wasn’t listening, since Alex and Catena were out of action he could bet where Kael would focus on now. Four whips snapped, two for each.

Azaroth knew he wouldn’t take the two whips at once, he couldn’t even properly defend himself against one whip. He did the only thing he considered the best option.

Azaroth ran, straight at Kael. His muscles protested as he stretched them, pulling every last energy he had to put one foot in front of the other.

He heard the high whin of the whip just behind him and he crouched so suddenly his knees popped uncomfortably but Azaroth didn’t mind it was better than being hit in the back with a burning fire. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

The two whips shot off above Azaroth, making straight for Kael but they stopped inches from the Captain.

"You were always a tricky fighter, Azaroth but tricks are useless against overwhelming power." As if to demonstrate, Kael spread his right palm and the two whips above Azaroth began swelling.

Azaroth groaned softly, he wouldn’t make it. The whips swelled like a bloated body and then exploded.

Azaroth saw white, his hearing was nothing but echoes of ringing noises. When he finally stopped seeing in a blurring vision he saw that he had been piled together with the others like forgotten toys.

Stallus was on her back, a vivid red mark on her face, her left eye was swollen shut and she glared hotly at the ceiling with her right eye.

Alex was the only one sitting, rubbing his neck and cussing now and then. Catena was sleeping, at least that was what it looked like to Azaroth.

Azaroth himself was lying on his side, his vision was tainted red and when he finally brought himself to sitting up he discovered that it was the blood coming from his head and dripping straight through his face.

His head burned, it was as if a hot oil had been flickered on his scalp. From the pain he was feeling throughout his body he was sure he got more wounds and bruises.

"Well, look at this." Kael loomed over them like a red monster. The faint red energy surrounding him looked deeper to Azaroth from his red-tainted vision.

"Four weak pups, licking their wounds," Kael said, his mask looked more savage than usual.

Stallus groaned and stood upright. Her blue eye shone with anger. "You almost killed us!"

Kael shrugged. "It’s better to die now than for the Inferno Legion to spend resources on you and die later."

Stallus froze and her eye narrowed until it was a slated blue gem filled with hate. "We never...I never asked to be here!" She spat out.

"You never did but here you are and if you don’t do as we say you know what will happen," Kael said calmly.

Stallus clenched her jaws and said nothing. What was there to say? Azaroth thought. She knew as they all knew that the Inferno Legion held their lives in its hand.

And more than the others knew, Azaroth knew that Inferno Legion wasn’t ready to let them go. They would die before the Inferno Legion did that.

And that was exactly why Azaroth made the deal with Evernight, Inferno Legion would do anything to control him and that would be a great inconvenience for what he was planning.

What he wanted to know was that, is what Kael doing right now beneficial to him? Or was he just taking his anger out on them?

"W....why?" Azaroth’s throat had been perched dry, it was difficult to get the moisture to talk.

"Why what?" Kael asked.

"Why did you do it? Why did you attack us?" Azaroth asked. Was it only to take his anger out of them?

Kael stilled then nodded slowly. "You know, I have seen a lot of kids like you. A lot. Parents killed and their homes destroyed, they vowed vengeance and revenge but they’re all dead now. Burned away by the flames of the Inferno Legion."

Kael leaned close to them. "And did you know what they lacked? Wisdom and power."

"At least you were trying to get the power and you have the wisdom to keep your heads down but that won’t help you. If you were normal Hounds maybe but you are Yamas. First of its kind.... and you are not the only Yama group." Kael said.

Stallus sucked in a breath, her eye widening as she figured it out.

Azaroth narrowed his eyes, so that’s how it’s going to be.

"There can only be one Yama group," Kael declared.

Alex turned confused eyes on Stallus. "What? Why can there be only one group?"

Stallus stared at him before replying. "Because each group will fight each other.... probably to death."

Alex’s eyes widened.

Surprisingly Catena, who had sat up during the discussion, was the only one smiling, his teeth flashing and the gold in his eyes vivid. "At last some fun!"

Alex snorted and Stallus groaned.

"We will start from East Haven," Azaroth said.

Kael nodded. "You remembered that there was another group that passed the Hound test here. A fighting competition to the death will determine those worthy of the title of Yama in East Haven."

Silence then, until Kael spoke again. "To answer your question Azaroth. I’m doing this to train you so you can pass. Oddly enough, I want to see what you can achieve."

Kael stared at Azaroth then he raised both hands and released his essence pressure, straight at their cores.